EDO’s Basketball TV Outcomes Report Reveals $2.3B in Est. Ad Spend and Powerful Performance Across NBA, WNBA, and NCAA

Basketball proves one of the most effective media environments for brands, as EDO highlights cultural relevance, advertiser scale, and measurable outcomes across leagues

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A new report from EDO reveals that basketball is among the most effective programming environments for TV advertisers, with $2.3 billion in ad spend and nearly 1,000 brands activating across NBA, WNBA, and NCAA hoops this past year. Viewers have been 9% more likely to engage with TV ads during basketball games than in competitive primetime programming, demonstrating the sport’s power to drive consumer engagement.

The report highlights basketball’s growing importance for marketers. Momentum is building across all leagues as EDO’s data shows standout results across key moments: the 2025 NCAA Men’s Championship Game was 158% more effective than primetime programming, the 2025 NBA Finals delivered a 103% lift, and the 2025 WNBA playoffs drove an 8% gain.

In the report’s introduction, Disney Advertising’s Dana McGraw, SVP of Data & Measurement Science, said the combination of basketball’s cultural relevance and measurable outcomes creates a unique opportunity for advertisers.

“Passion alone isn’t enough,” said McGraw. “Advertisers want proof that these environments work. In collaboration with companies like EDO, we’re able to connect the dots between media exposure and measurable consumer behavior — showing that when fans are deeply engaged, they’re more likely to take action.”

Basketball’s broad appeal is reflected in the diversity of brands investing in the space. Luxury and lifestyle marketers, such as Ray-Ban, SKIMS, and Oura Ring, joined legacy advertisers like Dr Pepper, Levi’s, and Pizza Hut, all leveraging the game’s cultural reach and engaging audiences.

“Immediate signals of consumer engagement are invaluable for marketers making real-time decisions,” said Laura Grover, SVP, Head of Client Solutions, EDO. “Basketball delivers those signals at scale, giving brands confidence that their investment is translating into meaningful engagement.”

As the NBA tips off in October and NCAA basketball shortly thereafter, advertisers have a clear roadmap for how to capture fan passion and turn it into business performance.

McGraw continued, “Across the sports landscape, basketball stands out for its scale, energy, and cultural connection. Whether it’s the star power of the NBA, the growing influence of the WNBA, or the fan-fueled drama of college hoops, basketball delivers high-impact moments that drive real business outcomes.”

Read EDO’s full analysis in the 2025 Basketball TV Outcomes Report — marketers can download the full report at EDO.com/basketball

About EDO

EDO is the TV outcomes company. Our leading measurement platform connects convergent TV airings to the ad-driven consumer behaviors most predictive of future sales. EDO empowers the advertising industry to maximize media impact, optimize creative performance, and know the fair value of every impression — across linear and streaming for an increasingly programmatic world. By combining immediate engagement signals with world-class decision science and vertical AI, EDO equips industry leaders with syndicated, investment-grade data that aligns media to business results — with detailed competitive, category, and historical insights. Leading brands, agencies, networks, streamers, and studios trust EDO’s TV intelligence to know what works.